DVD/Blu-Ray Review
Blu-Ray Review: The Piano 25th Anniversary Edition
When Greta Gerwig was nominated for Best Director for Lady Bird at the 90th Academy Awards earlier this year, she was only the fifth woman to achieve this feat. Jane Campion is also a member of this (ridiculously) elite club. The New Zealand director is also one of only five female film-makers to be nominated …
Blu-Ray Review: Woman is the Future of Man, Tale of Cinema: Two Films by Hong Sangsoo
Since Shiri caused a box office sensation during the dying embers of the last century, the South Korean film industry has had a new lease of life. Whilst stylish thrillers, comedies and horrors have dominated much of the domestic market, there are a group of directors whose style, vision and audacity have caused ripples across …
Blu-Ray Review: The Case of the Scorpion’s Tail
Of all the myriad sub-genres of horror cinema, giallo is possibly the most stylistically exuberant, nostalgically eulogised and vividly colourful. Whilst Dario Argento is the director usually associated with this style of film-making, much of his output fell outside of strict genre definitions. The master of the artform was unquestionably Sergio Martino (The Suspicious Death …
Blu-Ray Review: Black Peter
Making films under the curtain of censorship is an extremely precarious and potentially life-threatening undertaking. It can easily lead to a very short career. This is what makes the achievements of the Czech new wave film-makers even for impressive. The likes of Miloš Forman, Věra Chytilová, Ivan Passer, Jiří Menzel and Pavel Juráček put the …
Blu-Ray Review: Detective Bureau 2-3: Go to Hell Bastards!
After the end of World War II, Japan spent the best part of a decade in dire straits. When it did finally begin to emerge from a deep Depression, it no longer had its old confidence or self-belief. Previously strong nationalistic tendencies were eschewed in favour of copying its conquerors. American culture streamed into Japanese …
Blu-Ray Review: The Boondock Saints
Whilst Willem Dafoe has a distinct look, his ability as an actor has often been overlooked. However, his Best Supporting Actor nomination for The Florida Project this year was the third Oscar he’s been up for (the other two were Shadow of a Vampire and Platoon). His most iconic roles have probably come in films …
Film Review: Mom and Dad
It’s only normal to approach parenthood with at least a hint of trepidation. There’s no special pill or bestselling novel that can prepare you for the trials and tribulations to come. It’s normal to pick things up as you go along and second time round is usually a lot easier. There’s no denying the invisible …
Blu-Ray Review: Dark River
For many years, the British film industry has rightly been accused of being London-centric; often dominated by gritty urban dramas, dire comedies or ridiculous ‘mockney’ gangster films. Thankfully, there’s been a noticeable shift over the last few years. Introducing more variety of locations and diversity of stories. Clio Barnard has championed Yorkshire. Her first film, …
Blu-Ray Review: The China Syndrome
Jane Fonda was undoubtedly one of the most successful actors working in Hollywood during the 1970s. During that decade, she won two Oscars (for Klute and Coming Home) and was nominated for a further two gongs. With that success came great power and influence. Fonda was, and continues to be, active in many left-wing causes; …
Blu-Ray Review: Iron Monkey
When it comes to the Hong Kong film industry, I’d argue that no one who has been more important and influential over the last 35 years or so than Tsui Hark. Working in various roles as a director, screenwriter, producer and choreographer, he’s been responsible for A Better Tomorrow, A Chinese Ghost Story, Zu Warriors …